While You Were Sleeping

In While You Were Sleeping, Nova Scotia artist Briana Corr Scott turns her attention to the ways in which children and parents evolve together. As ever, Scott’s illustrations maintain their soft luminous quality, her signature style that is perfectly suited to the topic at hand. Many different families draw us into their experiences growing up together. Likely most readers will find themselves reflected, somehow, in the work. The cityscapes are at once familiar and universal.

I recommend lingering over the final spread with young readers as they will certainly love the cross section peek into the many houses that Scott offers us. Is that a ghost playing upstairs?! Charming details dot the illustrations, and taking the time to linger over them will likely be enjoyed by all.

The idea that adults grow-up alongside their children is intriguing, but our youngest learners are rarely in the developmental space to empathize with adult experiences, and thus the story remains inaccessible at times. I do believe that young children are interested in what it was like “when they were babies”, so in this regard, talking through the book might be interesting. As someone who personally did finish a degree with a baby on my knee, I felt seen (and the end papers are dreamy!). Overall, While You Were Sleeping is a sweet addition to the nursery shelf, and likely fans of Scott’s artwork will be particularly pleased.